Spotlight

A new study of textbooks used in Turkey's compulsory "Religious Culture and Moral Knowledge" class found both improvements and issues of concern. USCIRF sponsored this study, which was conducted by Ziya Meral, a Turkish expert and 2010 USCIRF Crapa Fellow

USCIRF Chairman Robert P. George and Commissioner Katrina Lantos Swett participated in the first event of the Newseum’s Freedom Week which focused on “Reporting on Religious Persecution: A Global Challenge.” The panel discussion featured journalists and human rights advocates who discussed the perils of reporting on threats to religious freedom around the world. Watch the event below:

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) released its 2015 Annual Report on April 30, 2015. In the report, USCIRF recommends that the State Department add these eight countries to its list of “countries of particular concern,” defined under law as countries where particularly severe violations of religious freedom are tolerated or perpetrated: Central African Republic, Egypt, Iraq, Nigeria, Pakistan, Syria, Tajikistan, and Vietnam.

USCIRF also recommends that the following nine countries be re-designated as “countries of particular concern,” or CPCs: Burma, China, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Turkmenistan, and... Read More

Nigeria will hold presidential, federal parliamentary, and state parliamentary elections on March 28, 2015. The election previously was scheduled for February 14, 2015, but was pushed back due to security concerns in the north-east region of the country. Reports of pre-election violence, combined with rising societal and political tensions, increase the likelihood of religiously-motivated violence around the elections.

“Every effort needs to be undertaken to ensure peaceful elections and prevent the use of religion to stir up more violence. The events leading up to and immediately following February 14 are crucial to Nigeria’s long-term stability and status as... Read More

Many countries around the world have laws that punish expression deemed blasphemous, defamatory of religion, or contemptuous or insulting to religion or religious symbols, figures, or feelings. The application of these laws has resulted in individuals being jailed for merely expressing a different religious belief or being falsely accused.

“Raif Badawi was the victim of a cruel and barbaric act carried out by the Saudi justice system – unfortunately, business as usual in the Kingdom. And for nothing more than creating an online forum for diverse views to be expressed freely.”

In July 2013, Mr. Badawi had been sentenced to seven years in prison and 600 lashes and his website was shut... Read More

The Chinese government continues to perpetrate particularly severe violations of religious freedom. In May 2014, USCIRF released its 2014 Annual Report and again recommended that China be designated as a “country of particular concern,” or CPC, in 2014. The State Department has designated China as a CPC since 1999. From the report:

“A China committed to protecting and advancing its citizens’ fundamental rights and religious freedoms is in the interests of the United States.”

USCIRF’s report, “Burma: Religious Freedom and Related Human Rights Violations are Hindering Broader Reforms,” reflects findings from a Commissioner-level visit in August 2014. In the report released in November, USCIRF urges the U.S. government to press Burma to permit humanitarian access to Rohingya Muslims and revise the Rakhine State Action Plan to ensure that Rohingya will not be denied citizenship. USCIRF also urges the U.S. to press for the rights of all minority religious communities and for U.S. officials to use the term “Rohingya” in recognition of that community’s right to self-identify. Additional recommendations can be found in the report.